Temporary Incontinence

Many medications can cause urinary problems, including blood pressure pills, sleeping pills, indigestion remedies, and antidepressants. Talk with your doctor if you are suffering from incontinence and are taking any type of medication.

Nontemporary Incontinence

More permanent incontinence may be classified as one of the following four types. Some people have a mixture of these types. In some cases, incontinence may have several different causes. Sometimes the cause is unclear.

Stress Incontinence

Stress incontinence results when certain activities increase pressure on the bladder. Leaking can be triggered by laughing, sneezing, lifting heavy objects, or exercise. This is the most common type of incontinence and may be caused by:

Weakening of the muscles that support the bladder

Weakening of the sphincter muscle that controls the flow of urine

Urge Incontinence

Urge incontinence is loss of bladder control following a strong urge to urinate. You are unable to hold urine long enough to make it to the bathroom. This is also known as overactive bladder. It may be caused by:

When nerve controls to your bladder are absent, as in spinal cord injury, the bladder will empty when it reaches a certain volume. This is called a neurogenic bladder. If you have this condition, you will learn how to drain urine periodically or permanently with a tube called a catheter inserted directly into your bladder.

Functional Incontinence

Your bladder control may be perfectly normal, but any mental or physical condition that slows you down or confines you may result in loss of urine. This is called functional incontinence.

Other Causes
of Incontinence

Fistula

Occasionally an abnormal channel called a fistula opens between the bladder and the outside world. It can be a birth defect, a result of injury, or a complication of surgery. Fistulas cause continuous, uncontrolled urine dribbling and can be surgically repaired.

Revision Information

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

Urinary incontinence. American Academy of Family Physicians. Available at:
http://familydoctor.org/familydoctor/en/diseases-conditions/urinary-incontinence.html. Updated July 2010. Accessed November 27, 2013.